


Nightmares

by SLong1118



Category: Ratched (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:53:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26755375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLong1118/pseuds/SLong1118
Summary: Gwendolyn recalls another night interrupted by Mildred's bad dreams.
Relationships: Gwendolyn Briggs/Mildred Ratched
Comments: 5
Kudos: 80





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure fluff. I just had the desire to write as fluffy of a piece as I could. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> I'm taking Mildolyn prompts, so if there is something you'd like to see me write for these two, send it on over! I check my inbox here regularly.  
> I also check my tumblr on the reg, so you can always venture over there to inbox me!
> 
> elephantlover1118

The air is thick as is filters through the open windows of their bungalow. The sun is just coming up and already the heat could kill those unprepared for its wrath. 

Gwendolyn is the first to awaken. It typically takes little effort for the sun to coax her out of slumber. But this morning, she was tired. Mildred had woken from a nightmare last night, a particularly bad one to boot. 

It was unfortunate that she’d gotten used to the late night/early morning interruption of her partner’s unrest, but her brother and his threats seemed to be lodged deeply into the younger woman’s subconscious. 

Gwendolyn had begun to notice over the course of these night terrors that Mildred only slept straight through the night on two occasions: 1. She had drunken herself into stupor right before bed and was so drunk as she slept that her dreams didn’t bother her or 2. They had made love so vigorously that she slept deeply and soundly. Gwendolyn had been feeling better, it was true, but not enough that she could please her lover night after night like they were teenagers. 

Often Gwendolyn would be left to console her as she always tried to do, whispering loving words in her ear until her lover could breathe again. 

Luckily as she glanced over, she could see the slow rise and fall of Mildred’s chest, indicating that the woman had managed to lull herself back into a deep slumber. She sighed happily, as she reached an arm around the younger woman to make herself comfortable in the bed once again. 

She began to doze back to sleep as she recalled their night. 

Mildred screamed loudly at the top of her lungs, sitting straight up into bed. She frantically looked around, as if searching for something, or someone. 

Gwendolyn was jarred awake, quickly sitting up in the bed to join her partner. She knew it was just another nightmare, so she was quick to respond by turning on her bedside light. 

“Sweetheart, it’s alright. I’ve got you. You don’t have to be afraid, it’s alright,” she had whispered in the darkness. Her right hand was rubbing up and down Mildred’s back while her left rested gently on her chest. Mildred had told her once that Gwendolyn’s gentle touch always helped bring her back to reality after an episode like this, so Gwendolyn would always be sure to touch Mildred in some way as she tried to calm her.

“Oh darling, it’s alright. Everything is alright. I’m right here, Mildred. I’m right here,” she said, kissing the temple of the younger woman sweetly. 

“Edmund he… he was here. I swear Gwendolyn, he was right there,” Mildred had sobbed, pointing to the doorway directly across from her. 

Gwendolyn shook her head, which was resting now against the other woman’s. “No sweetheart, I promise. Edmund isn’t here, and if I have anything to say about it, he never will be. Now try and calm your breathing, darling.”

Mildred took some deep, albeit shuddering, breaths, and Gwendolyn could physically feel the other woman’s heart rate begin to slow beneath the hand that was still resting on her chest. 

“That’s it darling. Take deep breaths, just like that,” she instructed. She felt terrible that this was happening to her Mildred. She wished there was a way she could take it all away. 

"Gwen, when will this stop?" Mildred cried. 

Gwendolyn held her tightly in response, feeling the younger woman sob against her neck. She rubbed her back as she cried, whispering sweet phrases into her ear as she began to relax in her arms. 

She held the younger woman for what seemed like an eternity, soft sobs continuing to emerge from her lover as she tried to collect herself. 

Gwendolyn had laid them down, bringing Mildred half on top of her and holding her tightly as she calmed. 

She eventually felt the brunette's body go limp against hers. She had finally fallen back to sleep. Gwendolyn sighed. She reached over as carefully as she could to turn her light off and allowed herself to be lulled back into restful sleep.

When she awoke for the third time that morning, the humidity had worked wonders on her hair as it plastered itself to the side of her face and neck. She could feel the light layer of sweat forming at her lower back, realizing that she had kicked the covers off sometime during her morning nap. 

She looked up quietly. Mildred was sitting up in bed reading already. The redhead took a moment to admire the brunette then. Hair slightly curled from the humidity, she was biting her lip as she often did when she read. Gwendolyn found it adorable. She watched as brown eyes scrolled across the page, taking in the words of her novel. She smiled. As much as she hated the nightmares and what they did to her sleep cycle, she could never be mad at Mildred. It wasn't her fault and she really couldn't help it. She loved Mildred, and as she lay there on that lazy Sunday afternoon, she hoped she would get to for a long time.


End file.
